


Slack

by glassgoblin



Series: Carol's Word-A-Day Calendar [116]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-14 17:53:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4574115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glassgoblin/pseuds/glassgoblin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set between seasons two and three.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slack

There was blood dried along the floor, from the kitchen to the front door or maybe it was the other way around.   Carol frowned, but sighed and stepped over it on the way into the house. Other than the blood there wasn’t much wrong with the house. The windows were intact and the door was able to shut and lock properly. There wasn’t even any dead bodies or walkers inside, which she found surprising.

It said something that a house that looked suited for a horror movie was the best choice for a place to stay for the next few nights. Rick looked at the floor as he passed, grunted and kept moving. Lori and Carl followed him into the kitchen and Carol sat on the couch to take a few moments before starting to set up for dinner. Daryl came down the stairs from the second floor, already having scouted the entire house he had been double checking the closets and counting supplies that they might take with when they left.

“Some bedrooms upstairs. Maybe we should set a watch down here and have everyone split up in the rooms. We can use those lamps that T-Dog found if we block the windows.” He sat down, heavily, on the couch with her, “You should take the night off and let Lori take her turn with the cooking and stuff.”

Carol nodded, “I would, but there is a lot to do and she wasn’t feeling well earlier.”

Daryl snorted, “Yeah, who is?” His bow leaned against the side of his legs and he looked at her for several minutes. “You could still use a break. I was watching you earlier and you were doing her share on the road. Let Beth or Maggie pick up some of the slack if you don’t want to make Lori do it, but you need to get some sleep.”

“Fine, but I’ll have a chat with the girls first.” She glanced around the living room, eyes catching the blood stain again, “I keep hoping that we’ll find a place to settle for a while. Some place where we can all get the sleep we need.”

“I know. We will, some day.” He frowned and she nudged his shoulder.

“That wasn’t a complaint or a dig at you. I know we’re all trying to find something out there. It isn’t your responsibility to take care of us all, and you do anyway. I appreciate everything that you’ve done for us, Daryl, it’s more than we have any right to expect.”

He flushed and looked away, “Just doing my share.”

“You’re doing a lot, and it’s one of the reasons we’re still alive.” Carol stared at him, silently, for several more seconds and he just seemed to get more uncomfortable with her regard so she finally sat up, “I think I’ll go find Beth and Maggie and have a chat about the chores we’re sharing.” She stood carefully and touched his shoulder again as she passed toward the kitchen.


End file.
